Dancing in the Rain
by Lara Potter
Summary: “You really are mad, aren’t you? I shouldn’t have bothered.” Harry said angrily, fire in his eyes. He turned away from her. Luna stopped in midtwirl, and stepped toward his back, smile faltering. She whispered into his ear. “Is that what you think?


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter, or anything related to Harry Potter. Thank JK Rowling for that. The little quote below the title is something I just made up; it seemed to fit the story.

**A/N:** I've never really written anything like this before- I like it though. Kinda fluffy/angsty, whatever. Please review!

**A/N 2: **Some of you in the reviews have asked if this is just a one-shot; originally it was going to be, but now I'm not sure. I may just add some more!

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**Dancing in the Rain**

**By Lara Potter**

**_"Mending the Broken."_**

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"Hey guys, check this out!"

The sixth year Gryffindor boys gathered around the big window in their dormitory.

"What is it, Dean?" A tall boy with red hair asked, peering over his shoulder out into the window.

It was a cold evening in early winter, and it was just getting dark. It was not too dark to see just yet, so they all looked down onto the Hogwarts grounds, wondering what their friend was on about.

"I don't see anything!" Neville Longbottom said anxiously.

"Look- there she is again!" Dean said, pointing to an area to the left of Hagrid's hut, not far from the Forbidden Forest.

"Who?" cried Neville, confused.

"What the...?!"

"I see her! I see her!"

"Blimey, is she mad?!"

"Who?!"

"Loony Lovegood!" said Seamus.

Sure enough, a slim figure wearing a blue Ravenclaw scarf could be seen dancing in circles, splattering around happily in the mud puddles. Her long, stringy blonde hair was plastered to her forehead and she was soaking wet. If the boys had been closer to her, they could have seen that her blue eyes that matched the color of the storm-brewing sky were full of laughter.

But that wasn't the only place there was laughter. The Gryffindors were roaring with laughter at the odd sight.

"She's so _weird!_" said Dean.

"Who in their right mind would go prancing about in the rain in November?" said Ron.

"Luna would," said a voice quietly. But none of the others heard Harry Potter. He was the only one who hadn't joined in the laughter, and he was standing at the back of the group. He looked sorrowful and solemn. It had been his usual expression ever since that day... that day over the summer... His usually mischievous emerald eyes had lost their glint ever since that day.

And Luna was still dancing in the rain, grinning persistently through the droplets that kept landing on her flushed face. Then she tripped, and fell into the mud.

The boys roared with laughter yet again.

But Luna didn't get up.

When Harry saw this, he grabbed his cloak and walked briskly to the door without a word.

"Harry? Where you going?" Seamus inquired, turning toward him. "Come back, Harry,"

"Let him go," Ron said, holding Seamus back. Harry gave Ron a grateful look, and left the dormitory.

Harry did not know what had possessed him to do so, but he went down the stairs, out the portrait hole, and dashed down the grand staircase. He burst through the great oak doors, into the chill of the wind and the rain.

He ran towards the figure lying limply in the muddy grass, until he got about ten feet away. Harry stopped, and let the wind blow his hood from his head, and he allowed the rain to soak his midnight black hair. He could hear Luna, and he saw that her eyes were open, and she was not at all hurt. She was laughing- laughing and grinning up at the stars that were now visible in the sky.

"What's your problem, Luna?" he yelled, frustrated at the thought that he may have come down for nothing.

Luna sat up, still smiling slightly.

"Oh, hello Harry! What did you say?" she giggled.

"What's your problem?" he repeated.

"I haven't got a problem, thanks. Don't you just love this?" she said, apparently oblivious to his harsh tones. Her reaction startled him, and he closed his mouth. The wind was still biting at his cheeks and causing his cloak to stick to his skin.

"It's the most wonderful thing!" she cried into the night, laughing harder when the rain began to fall more furiously.

A crack of lightning could be seen over the top of the forest.

"Luna, come on! Get inside before you get sick!" he called over the now howling wind.

"Never!" Luna yelled back, grinning over at him. Harry took a few more steps until he was directly in front of her.

"Luna, I'm serious! Come _on_!" he said, tugging at her sleeve.

"Let go, Harry!" she said, twirling from his grasp. A clap of thunder sounded.

"You really are mad, aren't you? I shouldn't have bothered..." Harry said angrily, fire in his eyes. He turned away from her. His comment caused Luna to stop in mid-twirl, and she stepped toward his back, the smile on her face faltering.

"Is that what you think, Harry?" she whispered into his ear.

He turned around, and she looked him straight in the eye.

"That's what everyone else thinks," Luna said to him. "That's what they say," she sighed along with the wind.

"I- I mean, er-" Harry began.

"Yup, that's me! _Loony_ Luna Lovegood! Go on, say it, Harry. Jump on board the bandwagon, eh?" She urged, smiling a sort of sad, disappointed smile.

"I- didn't mean-"

"Say it!" she cried shrilly. Harry had never seen Luna upset like this before. Luna was usually completely oblivious of her classmates' cruel comments. That's what Harry liked about her- she didn't care what people thought.

"No, Luna." Harry said softly. He doubted if she could even hear him, but he couldn't be sure.

"I'm sorry," Harry said in a louder voice. Shaky as it was, it was still effective. Another lightning bolt cut a jagged line through the night sky, like the scar on his forehead. "I don't think you're mad. Not at all! You're just different... I- I like that about you. I think you're- I think you're-"

She leaned in and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek, startling him greatly.

After a moment of awkward silence, Luna offered him her hand.

"Harry," she said over the howling wind, "dance with me?"

He nodded speechlessly. Luna grabbed his hands and twirled him in what seemed to be an endless circle, until they both toppled over into the mud.

And Harry laughed. It was the first time he had laughed for ages. They laughed together, and Luna rolled over in the muck, getting it on her red face.

They finally stopped laughing. Harry looked at her intently as they sat there on the wet earth. The twinkle was restored to his brilliant green eyes, and Luna was smiling sheepishly.

"Luna?" Harry said, the wind swirling around them

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

Luna smiled knowingly.

"Clearly, Harry, you've never danced in the rain."

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**A/N: **Please review! I will give you a basket of fruit if you do! Loff!

-Lara Potter


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